Can you take ‘melatonin’ if you can’t sleep? Is it safe to take it long-term? You’ll understand after reading this.

Mental Wellness

Many friends who come to the insomnia clinic have tried taking melatonin supplements to help them fall asleep, but such feedback is

Many friends who come to the insomnia clinic have tried taking melatonin supplements to help them fall asleep, but such feedback is particularly common:“My colleagues/friends are taking it, so I bought it too. It worked initially,but later on, it was as if I hadn’t taken it at all, and I didn’t even feel the slightest bit drowsy.””Behind this, there is actually a very common misconception—melatonin supplements are regarded as “sleeping pills without toxic side effects.” However, in reality,it is not a sleeping pill, and there is currently no convincing evidence to support its effectiveness in treating insomnia.

Many friends who come to the insomnia clinic have tried taking melatonin supplements to help them fall asleep, but such feedback is particularly common:

“My colleagues/friends are taking it, so I bought it too. It worked initially,but later on, it was as if I hadn’t taken it at all, and I didn’t even feel the slightest bit drowsy.””

Behind this, there is actually a very common misconception—melatonin supplements are regarded as “sleeping pills without toxic side effects.” However, in reality,it is not a sleeping pill, and there is currently no convincing evidence to support its effectiveness in treating insomnia.

What is Melatonin and How Does It Work?

1. What is Melatonin?

In simple terms, melatonin is actually the “nighttime signal hormone” in the brain. This is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain, and its secretion is mainly affected by“light”: